More measures to perk up ICT sector planned

Finance Minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhith said yesterday that the government would assist in the development of the information technology (IT) sector by providing incentives and necessary policy support.
“The government will provide policy support and incentives for infrastructure development to help flourish the IT sector,” he said as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of Softexpo 2010 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).
The Finance Minister said skilled manpower, domestic demand for software and the commitment and loyalty of the youths are the main challenges to digitise the country.
He said the government is committed to providing all support for the development of this sector since the Prime Minister pronounced the commitment of building a digital Bangladesh.
Mentioning increased governmental assistance in the IT sector, Commerce Minister Faruq Khan said that Tk 200 crore has been allocated as Equity and Entrepreneurship Fund (EEF) for ICT development. The government has also given a lump sum allocation of Tk 100 crore.
The State Minister for Science and Information and Communication Technology Yafes Osman said, it would be easier to explain to common people on ‘digital Bangladesh’ if a district is described as ‘digital district’.
“We will rename the ICT Incubator ‘ICT Park’ and the existing incubator will be shifted to another site from its current place at Karwan Bazar’s BDBL Bhaban,” he said.
Annisul Huq, FBCCI president, highlighted the various problems faced by the computer software industry.
He said that about 95 per cent of the entrepreneurs in the country’s IT sector are struggling to survive.
He called upon the government to help facilitate the efforts of the newcomers in the IT sector. “We need skilled engineers and a dedicated IT Park,” he said.
Habibullah N Karim, president of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) said that Bangladesh in FY2008-09 exported software worth $33 million that is expected to reach $38m in the current fiscal.
It will be possible to export software worth $500 million with governmental assistance, he said.
A total 55 organisations have taken part in the five-day Softexpo 2010 organised by BASIS. It would be able to showcase the possibilities and the development of Bangladesh’s software before the enthusiastic visitors.
The exposition will remain open every day from 10 AM to 8 PM. The admission ticket has been priced at Tk 20. Students will be able to enter the fair premises free of cost.

Courtesy of The New Nation